TOKYO (MNI) – The public approval rating for the cabinet of Prime
Minister Yoshihiko Noda rose slightly even as the premier struggled to
win support from his own party and the opposition camp for a planned
sales tax increase, according to polls from local media.

But the polls showed the majority of eligible voters now want Noda
and Sadakazu Tanigaki, the leader of the main opposition party, to
discuss a grand coation as well as dissolution of the lower house to
break an impasse on the tax hike talks.

The approval rating for the Noda’s cabinet rose two percentage
points to 34% in a March 23 and 35 poll conducted by Nikkei Inc and TV
Tokyo Corp from a prior survey in February. Meantime, the disapproval
rating fell two percentage points to 54%.

But, the poll also found that 55% approve of having leaders of the
main ruling and opposition parties hold talks about consumption tax hike
legislation and the timing of a lower house dissolution and general
election, compared with 30% that disapprove.

Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada has approached the main
opposition Liberal Democratic Party about a grand coalition with the
ruling Democratic Party of Japan, according to the recent reports from
the Nikkei and other local media.

But the two sides remain apart, with the LDP wanting a new House of
Representatives election to come before the enactment of tax hike
legislation, according to the Nikkei.

DPJ lawmakers, such as those close to former party leader Ichiro
Ozawa, are also opposed to a consumption tax hike, the report said.

Seiji Maehara, policy chief of the DPJ, said he wants to win the
support from the party for the tax hike bills early this week.

Meantime, the Nikkei survey also found that 53% disapprove of the
government’s proposal to lift the current 5% consumption tax to 8% in
April 2014 and to 10% in October 2015, while 38% approve.

But 58% of the respondents think a consumption tax increase is
needed in order to keep social security programs financially viable,
while 33% said such a step was “unnecessary.”

tokyo@marketnews.com
** MNI Tokyo Newsroom: 81-3-5403-4835 **

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